INTRODUCTION

This book is about managing security information on incidents, threats and vulnerabilities. Incident-based information refers to a variety of events, including for instance an accident, anecdote (bird flies into a camera), or violation of law or of company policy. Reference is made to threat information as information on crimes, criminals, victims, commercial or industrial competitors and people with malicious intent to harm an entity. Security measures are emphasised as the source of information on vulnerabilities and risks. This book has been written with the support of security managers, security officials and stakeholders from different sectors of the security industry, both private and in government. By the end of the book the reader will have a good idea of the collection and analysis of security information relevant to incidents, threats, and vulnerabilities as well as the implementation of security risk control measures (physical protection systems (PPS), strategies and/or actionable information products).

The management of security information is one of the key functions of a security service provider, whether in-house or contracted. It contributes to a wide range of objectives at every level of security, from the reduction of crime to increasing detection rates and preventing losses. Whatever security objectives it is directed at, the management of security information will involve the collection and analysis of security information and the implementation of security risk control measures. Questions on how security practitioners should respond and manage information on incidents, threats and vulnerabilities have plagued scholars and practitioners for decades. It is still our constant source of discussion and is perhaps debated more so now than before the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

In writing this book, the author considered the International Risk Management Standard ISO 31000:2009, crime combatting and risk mitigation models used internationally and in South Africa by law enforcement and the private security industry.